Chapter 107: Latanya and Jerry build biblio buzz on the Bronx Bound Books bus

LISTEN NOW ON APPLE, GOOGLE or SPOTIFY

Happy full moon!

Hard to believe we are halfway through our fifth year of this epic pilgrimage.

Are you up for going to the Bronx to hang out on a book bus? What!? Well, a few months ago I got an email from 3 Booker Karen where she said “Hi Neil. I love this! Have you seen it?” The this was this video, going viral, about a woman in the Bronx trying to get funding to start up a bookstore on wheels.

I couldn't believe that the 1.6 million residents of Manhattan have 82 bookstores whereas the 1.4 million residents of the Bronx had ... one. That's it! One bookstore. Well, Latanya grew up in the Bronx and decided to do something about that. So she founded Bronx Bound Books -- a "bookstore that comes to you." Today we're going to hang out with her and Jerry, who's the proud driver of this bus, that serves underserved communities across New York.

We'll be hanging out in the storage locker parking lot of the (freshly painted!) bus with the 5 train ripping over the tracks behind us. We'll learn how Latanya and Jerry spend their days driving around, picking up books, selling books, visiting schools, visiting shelters, and visiting community centers, to spread the good word -- or good words, really. And we talk about our mutual love of reading, the idea of bringing books to book deserts around the world, and of course, Latanya and Jerry’s most formative books.

This is a fun and immersive conversation you won't soon forget.

Let’s flip the page into Chapter 107 now…

Chapter 107: Latanya and Jerry build biblio buzz on the Bronx Bound Books bus

What You'll Learn:

  • What was the motivation to start a bookstore on wheels?

  • What are the logistics to starting a mobile bookstore?

  • How do kids react to a bookstore on wheels?

  • Why is community essential to any small start-up?

  • How do you make time for reading?

  • How are bookstores community hubs?

Notable quotes from latanya and jerry:

“Reading was like a friend to me.” (Jerry) Bronx Bound Books #3bookspodcast

“I know that used books are just as valuable as new books.” (Latanya) Bronx Bound Books #3bookspodcast

“We are reuniting people with books they lost in transition.” (Latanya) Bronx Bound Books #3bookspodcast

“People say kids don’t read but when we are out all we see are kids excited about reading” (Latanya) Bronx Bound Books #3bookspodcast

“If you have children, read what they read, no matter their age and then talk about the book.” (Jerry) Bronx Bound Books #3bookspodcast

“Books allow you to travel the world.” (Jerry) Bronx Bound Books #3bookspodcast

connect with latanya and jerry:

word of the chapter:

Resources Mentioned:

Enjoy the show? Use the Links Below to Subscribe:

 
 
 
 
 
 

GIVE US A Call AT 1-833-READ-A-LOT

(YES, THIS IS A REAL PHONE NUMBER)